Alana's Scent

-Bonus: 121-

Janet

- Two Weeks Prior - 

Ms. Ayanna and I sat in her new living room, her eyes trained on her phone and though she had told me come over on my invitation to chat, I was trying to buy all the time I could. Any time that I could at that. Once again, I found myself tapping my fingers against my pants leg. This conversation would either be like walking in the park or getting teeth pulled... Prayerfully it was the prior option instead of the latter.

Soon, the time bought was gone as quick as it came and she was turning all of her attention to me. "Oh, this is about to be a serious conversation isn't it?" My words fell oddly short and soon she had motioned to my body language. "Janet, I have never seen you this nervous before. What's going on?"

The question circulated in my head a few times as I thought of the different ways that I could beat around the bush about this. I went in circles almost endlessly until finally I just pushed it out.

"I want to marry your daughter."

Her face stayed straight and I immediately knew that this wasn't going to go over well. "You want to marry my daughter..."

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"I mean not right this moment or not this year or anything... but eventually, yes."

Ayanna sat up at my words. "Right.. and how do you want to go about this?"

"I wanted to ask you first."

"For my daughters hand?"

"Yes. For your daughters hand. I just.. I love your daughter."

"That I do know... but mind telling me how much? Because dating is one thing but me walking my baby down an aisle to give her away to you is an entirely different and life changing thing. I know you Janet. I have built a foundation with you and I have always respected you above all else, but I need you to tell me how much. I need to know that my baby will be safe with you for the rest of you all's lives."

"I love her more than many of my words can express. She is always in the background of my mind even when I am doing stuff that has nothing to do with her. She is my heart. My living and breathing heart that I will go to every end of this earth to make sure she's happy and safe. Alana is everything to me and I know that she knows only a percentage of what that truly means but my life is not complete without her in it. Joking and smiling and telling me her every thought. I know that we took that break, I get it completely but during that break... I felt like I was missing the biggest piece of every puzzle that I had ever thought of putting together. Nothing made sense without her and the world was not as shiny and bright as it usually was. Nothing helped me feel better when she wasn't there except the fact that I could watch her races online and support her from afar. It hurt me... more than anything else has ever hurt me and I knew that I would bend every corner of the Earth to not lose her again. I'll keep her safe. And happy. And loved. I'll accept her for everything she is, everything she becomes, and even the things that she doesn't see herself reaching. Every milestone will go celebrated. Every day will be filled with love and I just... I want to spend the rest of my life next to your daughter." My ramble came to an end suddenly before I mumbled softly. "If you would allow me to."

She broke out into a grin. "Aw, that was beautiful. Truly truly beautiful."

Ms. Ayanna hadn't fed me an answer yet and it caused me to ask out of anxiousness. "Wait, so what does that mean?"

"Janet, you have had my permission since the day I saw you get to my daughter on that track first. I have known about you for longer than you think and I have never said a peep about it. I saw the love you two shared... and honestly, it reminded me a lot of a love that I had lost. I know all about losing someone but my daughter got a better ending than me and for that, I will always support you two through whatever. You have my blessing. Just don't marry her too soon, she still ain't all the way... ya know?" She pointed to her head as she continued to joke. "I love my baby but sometimes the light bulbs don't always click on too quickly. Like the damn apple and plum situation."